John osgood

haverhill new hampshire ca. 1800

John Osgood was born in Andover Massachusetts on June 20, 1770. He moved to Bradford Ma. where he served his clockmakers apprenticeship to his uncle Michael Carlton of that said town. John returned to Andover sometime an early 1790. Here he met, and married a Miss Sarah Porter of Haverhill who came from Boxford Ma. Born to them were 6 children.

John moved his family to Haverhill NH where he continued to make many clocks and performed silversmithing and did watch and jewelry repair. His uncle Michael established a cabinet shop across the river. He had built a water powered saw mill. It is believed his uncle may have made the clock cases. There is much to be said about this intelligent, successful clockmaker. John died in his own home on July 29, 1840.

This clock, although not signed by the maker does have an engraved number "240" on the back plate. It has been reported from another collector that a number as low as "18" and a number as high as "374" have been found. This was practiced on signed Osgood tall clocks that have been found, and is an 8 day, time and strike, brass, arch plate movement. This clock movement is very distinctive by its count rack, scroll style ratchet clicks and deep cut teeth .

The case is well proportioned and is made of butternut. A rare wood only found in Eastern Canada. It retains an older finish. It sits on applied bracket feet. It has a long waist, tombstone door with brass strap hinges, smooth quarter columns and quarter brass capitals. The bonnet features

smooth columns with brass capitals, beautiful pierced fret work with three brass ball spiked finials mounted on three plinths. There are tombstone site glasses on each side of the hood to view the clock movement. The beautifully enameled dial is original, and has never been retouched.